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Min raising as standard??
Hey guys first time poster here,
I think you'll agree that this a suitably interesting point of discussion for a first post.
Basically a certain very regular player at the 15/30 and 25/50 tables has recently made a very interesting adjustment to their game. I wont name them and this isn't intended as a discussion of strategy against a particular player and their tendencies but against their chosen stratergy general.
The adjustment they have made is to make their standard opening raise in any pot preflop a minimum raise. Now, whilst this is a standard short stacked move in a tourney, it sounds like quite a weird way to play deepstacked cash. However when you actually think about it, it does have lots of advantages and gives you lots of different options.
Firstly it allows you to play lots of marginal hands such as suited connectors at a relatively cheap price against multiple opponents. Obviously a min raise entices lots of weaker players to just call and even if you choose to put in a large 4X or 5X raise this is still a comparatively cheap price to making a standard open 3X raise and then having to call a 12 or 15bb reraise.
Next, in terms of playing premium hands also like this gives you a number of options. By making this min raise I think you are expecting to get reraised more than 50% of the time, especially by players who have picked up on what you are doing and adjusted accordingly by raising a wider range. However now that you have a premium hand like high pocket pairs and AQ, AK then this just plays right into your hands. You have a number of options when faced with a reraise; either you can just flat call and have the strength of your hand almost completely concealed. Alternatively you can now put in a substantial reraise of you own which does to a certain extent telegraph the strength of your hand, but if called has effectively built a bigger pot preflop giving you a better chance of getting all the money in which is your main aim with premium hands.
Of course you also have the option of mixing things up and playing your premium hands slowly and more marginal hands very strong, which if done effectively makes it almost impossible for your opponent to a get a read on your hand preflop, and considerably harder down the streets.
Just thought it would be interesting to hear people's take on this idea of min raising preflop and if anyone else would consider trying it?Cheers.
I think you'll agree that this a suitably interesting point of discussion for a first post.
Basically a certain very regular player at the 15/30 and 25/50 tables has recently made a very interesting adjustment to their game. I wont name them and this isn't intended as a discussion of strategy against a particular player and their tendencies but against their chosen stratergy general.
The adjustment they have made is to make their standard opening raise in any pot preflop a minimum raise. Now, whilst this is a standard short stacked move in a tourney, it sounds like quite a weird way to play deepstacked cash. However when you actually think about it, it does have lots of advantages and gives you lots of different options.
Firstly it allows you to play lots of marginal hands such as suited connectors at a relatively cheap price against multiple opponents. Obviously a min raise entices lots of weaker players to just call and even if you choose to put in a large 4X or 5X raise this is still a comparatively cheap price to making a standard open 3X raise and then having to call a 12 or 15bb reraise.
Next, in terms of playing premium hands also like this gives you a number of options. By making this min raise I think you are expecting to get reraised more than 50% of the time, especially by players who have picked up on what you are doing and adjusted accordingly by raising a wider range. However now that you have a premium hand like high pocket pairs and AQ, AK then this just plays right into your hands. You have a number of options when faced with a reraise; either you can just flat call and have the strength of your hand almost completely concealed. Alternatively you can now put in a substantial reraise of you own which does to a certain extent telegraph the strength of your hand, but if called has effectively built a bigger pot preflop giving you a better chance of getting all the money in which is your main aim with premium hands.
Of course you also have the option of mixing things up and playing your premium hands slowly and more marginal hands very strong, which if done effectively makes it almost impossible for your opponent to a get a read on your hand preflop, and considerably harder down the streets.
Just thought it would be interesting to hear people's take on this idea of min raising preflop and if anyone else would consider trying it?Cheers.
Comments
In the later stages of a tourny its different because min raising usually still allows you to get stacks in comfortably by the river, and also the other players are making mistakes if they call pre with speculative hands 'because its only another bb' as the implied odds aren't there.